H.R. 241: Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act

HR 241 IH

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, and for other purposes.

January 14, 2013

Mr. ROSS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish standards of access to care for veterans seeking health care from Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act’.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE.

(a) Standard for Access to Care- Section 1706 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

‘(d)(1) In managing the provision of hospital care and medical services under section 1710(a) of this title, the Secretary shall ensure that for each veteran seeking such care or services from a Department medical facility, the standard for access to care, determined from the date on which the veteran contacts the Department seeking an appointment until the date on which a visit with an appropriate health care provider is completed, is 30 days.

‘(2) The Secretary shall periodically review the performance of Department medical facilities compared to the standard established under paragraph (1). The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a semi-annual report providing an assessment of the Department’s performance in meeting that standard.

‘(3)(A) Not later than 60 days after the end of a calendar-year quarter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report for that calendar-year quarter on the experience of the Department during the quarter covered by the report with respect to waiting times for veterans seeking appointments at Department medical facilities.

‘(B) Each report under subparagraph (A) shall include each of the following:

‘(i) The total number of veterans waiting by the following categories:

‘(I) Those waiting under 30 days for scheduled appointments.

‘(II) Those waiting over 30 days but less than 60 days.

‘(III) Those waiting over 60 days but less than 4 months.

‘(IV) Those waiting over 4 months but who cannot be scheduled within 6 months.

‘(V) Any remaining veterans who cannot be scheduled, with the reasons therefor.

‘(ii) For each category set forth in subparagraph (A), distinctions between--

‘(I) waiting times for primary care and specialty care; and

‘(II) waiting times for veterans who are newly enrolled versus those who were enrolled before October 1, 2001.

‘(iii) The number of veterans who have enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705 of this title but have not since such enrollment sought care at a Department medical facility.’.

(b) Effective Date- Subsection (d) of section 1706 of title 38, United States Code, shall apply with respect to hospital care and medical services provided on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

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